I think we may be getting all worked up for the wrong reasons. Mr. Wright sorely needs to apply some Scott's fertilizer to his lawn asap and get himself a self-propelled mower. When he's got his backyard in order he can employ the mower to carry that heavy camera over to something more interesting, like the fire hydrant or the curb.

"There is a time and place for all things, the difficulty is to use them only in their proper time and places." -- Robert Henri

It is fakeable, but transparently so. Being bound to technology (as the critics will always point out to us) art photography can rarely keep secrets about process (note Cory Wright's website info) and the Gursky manipulation 'scandal' with the Rhine image was a prime example of people getting up in arms about this stuff. Critics have a hard time accepting photography that isn't anything but completely authentic - technically and subjectively, today more than ever I think. Film effects are almost solely an amateur phenomenon, from what I've seen. Instagram has made it a real problem for any serious art photographer to even try this now also. The American landscape photographer Michael Fatali always made a point of letting his viewers know there wasn't any technical trickery - he knew his wider credibility in the art world depended on it.

I think Flickr is pretty close to being a complete vacuum, with it's own trends in representation and aesthetic, but there's definitely that outside influence from the 'proper' art photography world. I've often seen streams and sets from photographers not even hiding the fact they are ripping off a big name artist - they know they can almost get away with it. Not when I'm around however

As a side note, I think Flickr is largely made up of people who pick things up - concepts I mean - without knowing and there is a massive amount of creative naivety and general ignorance about the lineage and history of art photography. I've been scared away from it because it's a world unto itself and it influenced my 'visual vocabulary' in a way that made me uncomfortable, stunting my growth. Sitting down and really assessing my images one night, this was almost a grand awakening. But you do see hints at ideas and visual styles, unconsciously appropriated perhaps, from the 'real' world of contemporary photography and classical work. It does get filtered through, but very rapidly recycled into superficialities.

Its interesting to read others views on Flickr. I see Flickr as a constant source of inspiration - of finding things that interest me and things that I think I might like to try. Is it copying? If we didn't copy we don't learn. And if that is theft, the only true photographers out there must be blind.

The Wright photographs would be an attractive addition to any large, currently unadorned wall.

Decorative photographs have their place.

Matt

“Photography is a complex and fluid medium, and its many factors are not applied in simple sequence. Rather, the process may be likened to the art of the juggler in keeping many balls in the air at one time!”

Ansel Adams, from the introduction to The Negative - The New Ansel Adams Photography Series / Book 2

Its interesting to read others views on Flickr. I see Flickr as a constant source of inspiration - of finding things that interest me and things that I think I might like to try. Is it copying? If we didn't copy we don't learn. And if that is theft, the only true photographers out there must be blind.

...I think they'd look great printed on lino and used as flooring... my wife loved it when we had astro-turn inside for a while, but I hated how our dog would pee on it... this would be a good compromise.

(...id just have to stop myself from pee'ing on it )

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My goal in life, is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.

Its interesting to read others views on Flickr. *I see Flickr as a constant source of inspiration - of finding things that interest me and things that I think I might like to try. *Is it copying? *If we didn't copy we don't learn. *And if that is theft, the only true photographers out there must be blind.

Then there's blind imitation...

Learning is a process of recognition and growth. It starts with imitation, then assimilation, then hopefully innovation.

Flickr doesn't encourage self-reflection and growth, only impulse uploading and a steady stream of compliments - consistent validation. It's a world without questions. Everything you produce, in your mind, is always great in someone elses. It's like a psychological and artistic impasse. The same effect Mr. Wright and his friend's work have on some. *

When pleasing yourself is as easy as pleasing everyone else, you're Harry Cory Wright. Then there's those in the middle who just want to produce and see good work, but are constantly inundated by these annoying problems; "why is he photographing everything and everyone always likes it? Why am I constantly challenging myself? Would I be happier doing what he's doing? What's the point in doing anything?" Some people like to consistently challenge themselves and others, which usually makes for better art.

But these questions that keep arising at the moment, which are never about the work specifically, but about the point of work altogether, make for procrastination. So even if we want to make good art, the empty stuff opens up a hole that we all fall down whether we like it or not. Art itself is in the middle of an existential crisis. Nothing really clearly good or really obviously bad can be done until we move past this phase.*

Going full circle, that's exactly the same reason I've ignored Flickr for the last year.*

Here's a suggestion:
Every artist and photographer everywhere should work in obscurity and only take their inspiration from the classic work. Maybe then, in another 50 years, we'll be back where we were before this whole charade started.

Learning is a process of recognition and growth. It starts with imitation, then assimilation, then hopefully innovation.

Yes, I am not going to disagree with you there.

Flickr doesn't encourage self-reflection and growth, only impulse uploading and a steady stream of compliments - consistent validation. It's a world without questions. Everything you produce, in your mind, is always great in someone elses. It's like a psychological and artistic impasse. The same effect Mr. Wright and his friend's work have on some. *

Yes, there is a lot of that going on - I am not going to disagree with that either - but there are a lot of hidden gems. I suppose you just need to know where to look. When I find something interesting, it generally is away from the mainstream groups - the submit 1, praise 2 type groups - that are not really helpful. Regardless of it being film or digital, there are many groups on flickr catering for many different things. There are also groups that are quite harsh and subjective - you can seek them out if you want.

That being said, (& time for the APUG controversial statement of the week), it really isn't any different with the galleries on this forum. There is not a lot of constructive criticism going on - either a photo gets hardly a comment or it gets a lot of "love the tones....". But, I still enjoy the gallery - call me weird, part of the joy of photography is looking at other peoples photos.

Then there is the opposite - I have been members of many (digital) photography forums, where it is encouraged that people re-edit displayed photos if they feel that they could make an improvement. This I really dislike. Yes, comment, give suggestions on how you may have done it or different techniques, but let the author make the changes (because simply, they may be happy with what they have submitted).

When pleasing yourself is as easy as pleasing everyone else, you're Harry Cory Wright. Then there's those in the middle who just want to produce and see good work, but are constantly inundated by these annoying problems; "why is he photographing everything and everyone always likes it? Why am I constantly challenging myself? Would I be happier doing what he's doing? What's the point in doing anything?" Some people like to consistently challenge themselves and others, which usually makes for better art.

Maybe I fall into that category. I think in comparison to many, the pictures I take are bland and out of style, but as much as I try to do things that maybe a bit more out there, the more I fall back into what I am comfortable with....this is the thing - I am keeping myself happy, but on the other foot I want others to accept what I have done.

But these questions that keep arising at the moment, which are never about the work specifically, but about the point of work altogether, make for procrastination. So even if we want to make good art, the empty stuff opens up a hole that we all fall down whether we like it or not. Art itself is in the middle of an existential crisis. Nothing really clearly good or really obviously bad can be done until we move past this phase.*

I agree with this as well - pop art has been around for long enough now, that there is nothing new and anything that is new is either bland or so out there and controversial that the great unwashed don't like it anyway.

Going full circle, that's exactly the same reason I've ignored Flickr for the last year.*

Here's a suggestion:
Every artist and photographer everywhere should work in obscurity and only take their inspiration from the classic work. Maybe then, in another 50 years, we'll be back where we were before this whole charade started.

Looking at the past and the present is something we must do. But I do not think necessary to inform our futures. Take what works for you, ignore what does not, you will. Make your own photographs from inside. Feel the force coursing through your lens into your film. Complete you, it will. Make photograph of ground, I did. Big negative I did use. Grass it is certainly not.

Looking at the past and the present is something we must do. But I do not think necessary to inform our futures. Take what works for you, ignore what does not, you will. Make your own photographs from inside. Feel the force coursing through your lens into your film. Complete you, it will. Make photograph of ground, I did. Big negative I did use. Grass it is certainly not.

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My goal in life, is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.

Looking at the past and the present is something we must do. But I do not think necessary to inform our futures. Take what works for you, ignore what does not, you will. Make your own photographs from inside. Feel the force coursing through your lens into your film. Complete you, it will. Make photograph of ground, I did. Big negative I did use. Grass it is certainly not.

Yo da man!

I do use a digital device in my photographic pursuits when necessary.
When someone rags on me for using film, I use a middle digit, upraised.